New health craze hitting Richmond: Green smoothies

Aimee DuFresne is on a mission to get people’s blenders buzzing with the sound of health. She’s making it easy to transform your health without depriving yourself of your favorite foods.

PRLog - June 4, 2012 - RICHMOND, Va. -- Richmond, VA. Aimee DuFresne is on a mission to get people’s blenders buzzing with the sound of health. What’s more is she’s making it easy to transform your health without depriving yourself of your favorite foods. Equipped with her blender, she is willing to go anywhere to demonstrate this and inspire others.

Featured in May’s issue of Belle magazine, DuFresne has been teaching classes for the last five years, most recently a green smoothie class at Ellwood Thompson’s entitled, Get your Glow On. She says, “In all my experience, the one thing that everyone enjoys, no matter if they are old or young, male or female, health-conscious or a junk food enthusiast, is a green smoothie. “

What is a green smoothie? Quite simply, a green smoothie consists of fruits and/or vegetables blended with leafy greens. Given the abundance of leafygreens now available at the farmer’s markets, you can get healthier while simultaneously helping the local community and the environment.

Surprisingly, DuFresne grew up on a steady diet of McDonald’s and Twix bars, rarely a vegetable passing her lips until she was in her 20s. In 2004, both her parents were diagnosed with cancer. In order to help them and prevent a similar fate for herself, she began changing her own diet and lifestyle. After adding more healthy foods, she dropped weight while her energy skyrocketed and her skin started to glow. DuFresne is now a certified raw food chef, coach and ‘vitality expert’. She blends culinary instruction with coaching to empower clients to enjoy life to the fullest.

Leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses. Calorie for calorie, they contain more nutrition than any other food. They are low in calories, control blood sugar, lower blood pressure and contain high amounts of iron, calcium, fiber, potassium and magnesium. The increased nutrition results in increased energy and also aids in digestion and improves eyesight and skin tone.

DuFresne recommends adding one green smoothie daily to your current lifestyle. It’s taking the first vital step that leads to greater results. Those looking for more information and inspiration can join her Facebook group, Green Smoothie RVA, where other green smoothie enthusiasts share recipes, ideas and many have committed to a 10-day green smoothie cleanse, starting May 29th. One of Aimee’s signature smoothies will featured at Ellwood Thompson’s this summer.